Latch device



March 4, 1969 w. D. BACON, JR ETAL LATCH DEVICE Filed July 14, 1967 United States Patent ()flice 3,431,003 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Latch for hinged glass cover of industrial luminaire comprises a swingable latch member pivotally secured to a plate fixed to the metal frame of the glass cover and having an aperture for engagement by a pole for opening and closing the latch.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved latch device adapted for use with closures, such as glass covers for luminarires, which are located in places diflicult to reach by the operator.

It is another object of the invention to provide a latch device of the above type which is simple, inexpensive and rugged, and which may be easily operated by service personnel for manual operation of the closure and also is readily engaged by a long pole or the like for operating, at a substantial distance, the latch as well as the closure associated therewith.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a latch device of the above type which in operative position conforms closely to the configuration of the luminaire on which it is attached, so as to harmonize with its appearance and to minimize risk of damage during handling and shipping of the luminaire.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

With the above objects in view, the present invention relates in a preferred embodiment to a lighting fixture comprising a reflector housing having an opening and formed with a flange around the opening, closure means movably mounted on the housing closing the opening, and latch means detachably securing the closure means to the housing, the latch means comprising a fixed member secured to the closure means and an elongated latching lever member pivotally secured at one end to the fixed member and swingable thereon between a latched position engagas glass covers for luminaires, which are located in places position covering said opening and an unlatched position permitting the closure means to move to open positions away from the opening, the lever member having operating the flange for holding the closure means in closed The invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a lighting fixture incorporating a closure latch constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the latch device of the FIGURE 3 shows in enlarged scale a cross-sectional invention shown in latched position; view of the arrangement of FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 3-3;

FIGURE 4- is a perspective view of the latch device in latched position;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the latch device in open, unlatched position; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the latch device in unlatched position.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a lighting fixture 1, such as an industrial luminaire which is typically hung a substantial distance above the floor, having a reflector housing 2 with a flanged rim 3 formed with a depending skirt 3a (see FIGURE 3) surrounding the opening at its bottom, the housing containing illuminating means such as a gas discharge lamp L. Glass door 4 is pivotally connected at one side to housing 2 by hinge 5 to permit the door 4 to be opened for access to the interior of the fixture for cleaning, re-lamping or other purposes. Glass door 4 is detachably secured in closed position on housing 2 by latch device 6 (shown in exaggerated scale in FIGURE 1) constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention, and which may be operated by a long stick 7, such as window pole, as explained hereinafter.

As seen in FIGURE 6, from which adjacent portions of housing 2 and glass door 4 have been omitted for the sake of clarity, latch device 6 comprises an elongated lever 8 having a flat pivot-connecting portion 9 at one end, an operating portion 10 in the form of an upstanding fiat tab at the opposite end with an aperture 10a therein, and a channel-shaped clamp portion 11 intermediate its ends. Lever member 8 is formed adjacent portion 11 with a step portion 12 which functions as a stop in the unlatched position as explained below. Connecting portion 9 is pivotally connected by a rivet 13 or the like to a fixed plate member 14 which is fixedly secured to metal frame 15 of glass door 4, such as by welding or by other suitable means.

In the illustrated embodiment as shown in FIGURE 3, a sealing gasket 16 is interposed between frame 15 and glass pane 4 and has an upper tubular portion overlying the top surface of frame 15 which is compressed between the latter and the underside of flange 3 in the latched position of cover 4, so as to provide an air-tight seal around the bottom opening of luminaire housing 2. The showing of gasket 16 is omitted in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 for the sake of clarity.

When glass door 4 is moved upwardly toward housing 2 into closed position, latch lever 8 may then be swung about pivot 13 into latching position with channel portion 11 clamping housing rim 3 and door 4 together with gasket 16 therebetween to hold the door in closed position. The upper arm 11:: of clamp portion 11 curves upwardly somewhat at its outer end, as shown, to enable it to more readily engage and ride up on the upper surface of rim 3 during the latching operation.

The arrangement and form of flat plate portions 9 and 14 and the arrangement of their pivot connection 13 inward of the periphery of glass cover 4 and the generally vertical plane of those portions of lever 8 outside the periphery of rim 3 result in minimizing the amount of projection of latch 6 beyond the lower edge and the periphery of the lighting fixture, thus markedly reducing the risk of damage in handling and shipping operations. As seen in FIGURE 2, operating tab 10 is bent slightly inwardly toward rim 3 so as to extend generally parallel and closely adjacent to flange 3 and thus to conform more closely to the curvature of the housing and reduce further the degree of latch projection, thereby also enhancing the overall appearance of the fixture by merging more closely therewith.

The arrangement is such, nevertheless, that an operating stick 7 having a suitable hook at its end may be readily inserted in aperture 10a of latch lever 8 for swinging clamp portion 11 out of engagement with flange rim 3 and thereby releasing glass cover 4 for opening the latter. Pole 7 may serve at the same time for positive control of movement of cover 4 out of and into closed position as desired, as well as for operation of the latch.

Stop portion 12 formed at the lower edge of clamp portion 11 (see FIGURE 5) limits the movement of lever 8 3 when it is swung into open position by abutting the periphery of metal frame of the cover. As seen in FIG- URE 3, the top of stop portion 12 is below the bottom edge of skirt portion 3:: so as to clear the latter during outward swinging of lever 8. By thus limiting the outward swinging of lever 8, stop 12 prevents clamp portion 11 from coming into contact with and possibly damaging skirt portion 3:1. It also properly orients lever 8 in its unlatched position so that when door 4 is moved into closed position, lever member 8 does not interfer with skirt portion 3a to prevent proper seating of the periphery of door 4 within flange 3.

Although the invention has been described particularly as applied to an industrial luminaire, it will be evident that it may have application to various other devices having closures, especially those which may be located in places not readily or conveniently reached by service personnel for manual operation of the closure fastening means.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Closure arrangement comprising, in combination, housing means having an opening and a flange adjacent said opening, closure means movably mounted on said housing closing said opening, and latch means detachably securing said closure means to said housing means, said latch means comprising a fixed member secured to said closure means and an elongated latching lever member pivotally secured at one end to said fixed member and swingable thereon between a latched position engaging said flange for holding said closure means in closed position covering said opening and an unlatched position permitting said closure means to move to open position away from said opening, said lever member having operating means at its other end, said operating means comprising a flat tab portion extending in a plane generally parallel to the pivot axis of said lever member and being formed with hook-engaging means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said housing means and said flange thereof having a curved configuration, the portions of said lever member lying outward of said flange in said latched position extending closely adjacent to and generally parallel with said flange.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said hookengaging means is an aperture formed in said flat tab portion.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, said fixed member and the portion of said lever member at said one end adjacent thereto being generally flat and extending in superposed planes closely adjacent and substantially parallel to said closure means.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, said flange defining a rim about said opening, said pivot axis lying inward of said rim.

6. A deviceas defined in claim 5, said housing means enclosing illuminating means, said closure means comprising a light transmitting member and being hingedly connected at one side to said housing means.

7. Closure arrangement comprising, in combination, housing means having an opening and a flange adjacent said opening, closure means movably mounted on said housing closing said opening, and latch means detachably securing said closure means to said housing means, said latch means comprising a fixed member secured to said closure means and an elongated latching lever member pivotally secured at one end to said fixed member and swingable thereon between a latched position engaging said flange for holding said closure means in closed position covering said opening and an unlatched position permitting said closure means to move to open position away from said opening, said lever member having operating means at its other end, said lever member having clamping means intermediate its ends for clamping together said flange and said closure means in said latched position, said clamping means comprising a channelshaped portion formed integrally with said lever member, said flange having a depending skirt portion, said lever member having stop means between said clamping means and said one end thereof for abutting said closure means in the unlatched position of said lever member, so as to limit the movement of said lever member to its unlatched position to prevent interference between the same and said skirt portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,172 7/1916 Fuller 292202 1,786,515 12/1930 Brownell 2404l.5 X 1,941,294 12/1933 Eck 292----256 X 2,869,909 1/1959 Harling 292,256

MARVIN A-. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,431,003 March 4, 1969 William D. Bacon, Jr. et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereh; corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 21, luminarires" should read luminaires line 48, "engag-" should read engaging line 49, "as glass covers for luminairs which are located in places" should read 'the flange for holding the closur means in closed line 51, "positions" should read position line 54, "the flange for holding the closure means in closed should read means at its other end line 61, cancel FIGURE 3 shows in enlarged scale a crosssectional" and insert the same after line 62, same column. Column 3, line 9, "interfer" should read interfere Signed and sealed this 31st day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

